A pair of teenagers were ordered to stand trial for most of the charges against them for allegedly assaulting an Express-Times newspaper carrier.

Erick Ridley, 19, of the 2500 block of Chestnut Lane in Forks Township, and Arealus Lee Jr., 19, of the 100 block of West Milton Street in Easton, allegedly attacked 46-year-old John Werkheiser of Easton.

Werkheiser had left his truck double parked while he delivered newspapers on Berwick Street. Werkheiser said he found Ridley in his truck with his cell phone at 4:45 a.m. June 29.

Werkheiser said he slammed the driver’s side door on Ridley, threw him to the ground and held him down by his neck.

“I threw a punch and he threw a punch. … I just startled him. He didn’t know I was there,” Werkheiser said today in court. He said Ridley called Lee over, and he helped Ridley escape. Werkheiser estimated he took about 20 blows to the head during the melee.

“I was trying to hold onto him (Ridley) and the other guy was hitting on me,” Werkheiser recalled. “I told him he (Ridley) was going to jail.”

The defense asked District Judge Dan Corpora to throw out the robbery and theft charges, because nothing was stolen from the truck. Assistant District Attorney John Obrecht argued if Werkheiser didn’t return to the vehicle, there likely would have been a theft.

The judge dropped a receiving stolen property charge against Lee, but ordered the pair to stand trial in Northampton County Court on the remaining charges.

Werkheiser’s phone broke apart during the scuffle, and he put it back together and called police after the teens ran. Easton police officer Nathan White found them running about 75 feet away from the scene, and another officer tracked them down.

White said the right side of Werkheiser’s face was “significantly swollen,” his eye almost swollen shut and blood dripping down his face. Ridley and Lee appeared unharmed, he said.

Ridley is charged with simple assault, robbery, theft and conspiracy. Lee is being charged with simple assault and conspiracy.